A partially mummified corpse with pink teeth and pink nails.
A female corpse in a state of advanced decomposition and putrefaction with pink teeth and an equivalent discolouration of several fingernails was found by a group of hunters in a forest. A combination of trimipramin intoxication, hypothermia and pneumonia could be established as the cause of death. Autolysis or blood congestion can only favour the occurrence of a pink discoloration. Pink phenomena depend on special anatomical features such as the existence of porus structures protected by a dense material, which explains the occurrence of a pink discoloration in teeth and fingernails. The non-specificity of congestion, its genesis and reinforcement by exogeneous factors does not allow pink phenomena to be used as specific forensic evidence.
Ortmann
C
C
Institute für Rechtsmedizin, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany.
DuChesne
A
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005553:Forensic Dentistry; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009106:Mummies; D009262:Nails / Q000473:pathology*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D014070:Tooth / Q000473:pathology*
D006454:Hemoglobins